


Returning the Comfort

by StariWolfe



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Late Night Conversations, Pre-Relationship, let! aymeric! vent about shit!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28907637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StariWolfe/pseuds/StariWolfe
Summary: Aymeric comes over and opens up to Vesper about the various things that weigh on his mind.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel & Warrior of Light, Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	Returning the Comfort

Vesper was reading a book on the couch of her apartment when her linkshell rang.

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t be unusual for her to get a call on her linkshell, seeing how so many people needed help nowadays. But the circumstances were not normal, it being close to one in the morning and most other folks had long settled in for the night. It was a good thing she was a night-owl; if she was anyone else she’d ignore the call.

“Scion Vesper here. What business is there?” She figured she probably needed to answer this professionally; who knows what the reason for the call was, after all. This late, it could be an emergency.

“Ah, you’re awake. I’m full glad.”

...That was a familiar voice.

“Aymeric? ‘Tis rare for you to be up this late, relatively speaking.” He worked late often, but not usually this late. “Everthin’ alright? Is there somethin’ wrong? An emergency?”

“Well, something wrong, yes. Emergency, no. It’s...it’s difficult to explain, you see…” It was odd, she thought, that he was having trouble explaining what was wrong when a small detail warranted her undivided attention.

His voice and tone sounded...strained. Scared. Had he been crying? Was he okay?

“Aymeric, what’s wrong? Are ya hurt? You’re somewhere safe, right?” If anyone had dared to hurt him, she’d send them straight to the seventh hell. His safety was the first priority.

“Yes, yes, I’m unharmed and safe, there’s no danger to my life. It’s...forgive me, my friend, it is ever so slightly embarrassing.” Vesper heard him give a deep, shaky sigh through the shell. “I...I am not in a great place, mentally speaking. Would...would it be alright if I saw you? I...do not wish to be alone right now.” It felt like her heart had broken in two at his tone. What in Eorzea had shaken him so?

“Bless your heart, mate, of course you can!” She wouldn’t complain about seeing him, anyway. “Wouldja like for me t’ come t’ you or you come t’ me?”

“I would like to get out of the manor, if that would be acceptable.” 

“That’ll be fine. I’ll snag some sweets from th’ shop an’ get some stew an’ hot cocoa on the fire. You remember where my apartment is, right?” He confirmed, and she continued. “Bring some sleepwear with ya in case ya wanna stay overnight. I’ve a double bed, a couch, and a futon if ya need it, plus a bath if ya wanna bathe. How long will ya be, d’ya think?”

“If I can, I’ll be there within the bell.”

“Perfect. Get your stuff t’gether an’ I’ll set up for a guest. Be safe, Aymeric.”

“And you as well, Vesper.” With what she hoped was a sigh of relief, Aymeric ended the call, and Vesper set to work.

Putting her boots on underneath what she called her ‘comfort wear,’ Vesper made a quick visit to the shop-slash-cafe that she ran with Lemon and Ellywen to pay for their various expenses. She knew they had overstock (in other words, Lemon made way too much food), and so a few small cakes, pastries, tarts, and cocoa mixes were shoved into her bag. Should she grab some extra blankets or towels from the living area below the shop? Would he need them? Nah, she had plenty back at the...y’know what? A few more blankets, just to be safe.

Luckily, her detour to grab an absurd amount of blankets didn’t result in Aymeric arriving before she did, and Vesper figured she still had plenty of time before he got there. Kicking off her boots and throwing the blankets on the couch, she dashed quickly to her small kitchen to get some leftover stew heated up and turn her coffee maker on. The sweets she grabbed from the shop were lined up on the spare counter space, and, thankfully, they weren’t too smushed from her bag and the bumpy trip. 

And then she remembered the absolute mess that she had in her sleeping area, and dashed as fast as she could to shove all of her books under her bed.

It didn’t work. A bunch of the books still stuck out from under the bed frame. How could she-

Knocks came from her door. The books weren’t important anymore.

Vesper dusted herself off as she walked to the door to let her guest in, double checking that she was vaguely presentable, before opening the door.

Aymeric looked...tired. More tired than usual. Whatever was bothering him, it had really gotten to him. He even startled as she opened the door to let him in.

“Easy, mate, it’s me. C’mon in, get comfortable. I’ll have stew ready in a bit.” She stepped out of the way, gesturing for him to come in.

“Oh, I...right. Forgive me, friend. It has...not been a pleasant night.” He removed his outer coat and placed it on the coat hanger near her door before going to sit on her couch. It was his first time visiting her apartment, and he took in everything he saw after he had taken his place.

“I can tell. No worries, get yourself warm with those blankets and I’ll get some food and drink ready. Wouldja like some sweets? Maybe some hot cocoa or tea with birch syrup?” Vesper was already grabbing two mugs and a plate for the treats before he answered.

“Cocoa, if you would not mind. As for sweets, I’ll have a few. My appetite is...lacking, at the moment.”

“Sounds good.” The various pastries and cakes shifted on the plate a bit as she walked over to Aymeric, setting the mug and treats down in front of him. “Haurchefant taught me how to make th’ cocoa, so it should be delicious. Give me a bit to get my own mug and make sure the stew is heated up. And don’t worry, if you don’t wanna eat right now, it should still be warm later.” She grabbed a mug from her cabinet and headed back to the kitchen to get herself some of the delicious drink. The stew was warm enough to be eaten, so it was removed from the heat so it wasn’t burned.

“Thank you, my friend. You are far too good to me.”

“Oh, please. I’m not _nearly_ good enough to you, if ya ask me. So,” Vesper brought her cup of cocoa back to him and placed it on the small table in front of her fireplace. “What’s on your mind? The last thing I was expectin’ tonight was a visit from you at this time o’ day. Not that I’m complainin’, mind ya.”

“Aye, I was not expecting to ask for a visit, either. But,” Aymeric looked into his mug of cocoa, suddenly quieter. “I am thankful that you have allowed me to be here so late. I do not wish to be alone right now.”...Whatever was on his mind, it had shaken him badly. 

“Of course, you’re always welcome here. But, if ya don’t mind my askin’, what has you so upset?” Vesper hated seeing him like this. Could she help him at all?

“I...as I said earlier, it is embarrassing, so forgive me if this is trivial, but…” A deep sigh left his lips, and his whole body shook for a moment. “I...had a nightmare, a horrible one. ‘Twas...reminiscent of what happened to me when the Heavensward took me.”

Oh. That explained it. Vesper felt her heart break into pieces at his expression.

“A nightmare, eh? I can’t judge ya for that, I get those often. But what the Heavensward did to you, you say…” Anger rose deep within her chest at the thought. “I always knew they’d tortured you, but never how badly. An’ I didn’t want to press a painful topic like that.”

“I appreciated that, truth be told. It was not something I want to reveal or discuss.” He took another deep breath. “Though, I now realize that maybe I should have, but being in a prominent position makes that difficult. I could not and cannot still show weakness in front of my people, a healing nation.” Vesper knew that pain. She was a hero to the people, and that made showing any form of weakness or negative emotion a pain. People always thought less of you whenever your emotions ran rampant, and the last thing Eorzea needed was to lose faith in the ones they put their hopes on. But with that being said…

“Hey, Aymeric?” His tired eyes took her in, making her turn away in slight embarrassment. “Do you remember how I had my apartment enchanted? The magicks in th’ walls an’ doors prevent anyone from listenin’ in on private conversations. This may seem off topic, but what I’m tryin’ to say is…” She turned back to him, a smile on her face. “You’ve had a ton of shite happen t’ ya and you’ve never had a chance to talk about it, bein’ Lord Commander an’ all. But, right here, it’s just you an’ me. Aymeric an’ Vesper. And no one will hear anythin’. My home, my arms, and my heart are open if ya need it.” To prove her point, Vesper spread her arms as if asking for a hug. She hoped she’d at least get a smile out of him.

“Vesper, I…” Aymeric’s voice began to waver as he tried to speak. Vesper didn’t have time to react before he nearly threw himself into her hug, wrapping her snugly in his arms. “Thank you, I cannot...” Her arms embraced him without her saying a word. And was that...a tear she felt on her shoulder?

“Take your time. I’m not goin’ anywhere, as long as I have anythin’ to say about it.” Leaning back further into the back of the sofa, Vesper tried to get them both in a more comfortable position. “Deep breaths, that always helps me. Don’t be afraid to let it all out. It’s just you an’ me here. Wanna talk about the dream? Or somethin’ else?”

“Not the dream, it’s too fresh. The Heavensward…” Aymeric squeezed her tighter, and she felt more moisture on her shoulder. “I...I never realized how much they hated me. Every injury they inflicted...their smiles will haunt my memory for as long as I live. They enjoyed every moment of my pain, and the scars they left...they will always cause me pain.” Fury filled every part of Vesper’s being, though it was quickly replaced by grim satisfaction as she remembered her part in the death of the Heavensward members. “And my father...I was so blind. I had faith in him up until he himself put me in chains. And of course, a man like him wouldn’t care about what his illegitimate child went through…”

“For th’ record, your birth isn’t your fault. And I’m certainly glad you were born.” Her hand ran through his hair, trying to comfort him. “I never really trusted Thordan, but that’s because I’ve had bad experiences with folks in his position. But he was smart, Aymeric. His facade was flawless, and it surprises me little that most folks, includin’ you, didn’t know what he was really like. As for the Heavensward…” It was her turn to tighten her hold on him. “I could tell you in explicit detail of how I made them feel the weight of their deeds, but I don’t know if that’d make ya feel better. I know what ya mean about your scars, though. I’ve my fair share of scars that have bad memories.”

“...May I hear about your scars?”

“Of course. The most prominent one is my eye. You remember the story about how I became a pirate, yeah? When the knights beat me near t’ death, they got my eye really good. I had some surgery t’ fix it, but it changed color an’ is real sensitive t’ light, now. Well, the reason I wear the eyepatch, besides th’ light thing, is that it hides the scar. Other folks may look at it and think it’s cool, but whenever I see it, I just...see my failure. I prefer not t’ remember that.”

“...You did not deserve that.” Vesper gave a soft gasp as Aymeric tightened his hold on her.

“An’ you didn’t deserve what th’ Heavensward did to ya.” She buried her face in his soft hair. “No one deserves that, ‘specially not you. You’ve only ever tried t’ help folks.” A comfortable silence filled the room as the two held each other, Vesper happy to just be of assistance to him.

“Vesper, if I may ask, and you can say no,” the warmth left Vesper’s shoulder as Aymeric pulled away to face her. “But may I see your scar? I’ve...not gotten the chance to see it before.”

“Really? That’s surprisin’, I know I’ve not had my eyepatch on around you before. But I will, on one condition.” His eyebrow raised at her declaration. “I’d like to see yours, if you’re comfortable. You can also say no, naturally.”

“That is reasonable, and I have no qualms with it.”

“Excellent.” Vesper made the move to remove her eyepatch when a thought came to her mind. “W-Would you like t’ go first or me? I know you’ll be revealing more skin than me…”

“You can go first, if you wish. Your eye is sensitive to light, yes? Is the lighting in here adequate to not cause you pain?”

“Aye, it should be fine. If not, I’ll just close it ‘til it gets used t’ th’ light in here.”

Aymeric nodded, and Vesper reached back up to the eyepatch on her face as he began to unbutton the front of his shirt. Apprehension filled her as she thought about showing him her scar, though she didn’t know why. She knew for a fact that she’d not worn her eyepatch around him before, so why was she nervous about this now? Before she could give in to her hesitation, she grabbed the eyepatch and quickly pulled it off, blinking a bit to get her eye used to the light.

When Vesper opened her eyes again, she was stunned to see Aymeric looking at her with wide eyes, shirt only unbuttoned halfway down.

“Hells, is it really that bad? I know it’s not th’ prettiest thing…” Her hand moved to cover her eye, flushed with embarrassment. However, the Lord Commander apparently had other ideas, as he grabbed her hand and pulled it back from her face.

“It was not because of your scar, Vesper. Your eye caught my attention first, truth be told. It is...stunning.” It seemed like his eyes focused on her scar then, and he ran his thumb over the indent in her skin. “But do not mistake my awe as condoning your abusers for what happened. You should have never been treated like that, the beauty of your eye aside.”

“You’re right, an’ I know you’re right, but the past still hurts on occasion.” Her eyes looked away from him momentarily as she remembered the nightmares she frequently had. But just for a moment, and, as she turned back to him and his half undone tunic, they took on a playful glint. “Speakin’ o’ hurts, it’s your turn, innit?” Her heart lifted a bit as he blushed at her question.

“Indeed it is. A moment, if you will…” Aymeric reached down to finish undoing his button-up shirt, keeping it closed as much as possible until he undid the final button.

“Here, I know it’s a bit chilly outside, and th’ fire can only do so much.” Vesper reached up and grabbed one of the blankets that she’d draped over the back of the sofa earlier, thanking her blanket-hoarding problem that she thought to bring more covers. “This is one o’ my favorites, it’s super soft and real warm.” Draping the soft throw over his shoulders, she adjusted it so that it would hopefully keep him warm while his chest was exposed. His head nodded in thanks before he sighed and opened his shirt.

Vesper’s heart shattered into pieces as she beheld the myriad of scars across his toned chest. Even though they’d long since healed, the injuries that he’d been given had been incredibly deep and vicious if the marks were anything to judge by. And these were just the scars on his chest; what other scars does he have where the clothing covers?

She reached out a hand tentatively to feel them before realizing what she was doing and pulling her hand back. Her eyes met Aymeric’s, asking silently for permission, and she reached back out again when he nodded, signaling his consent. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes as her hand met the damaged skin, as they felt even worse than they looked. They were even deeper than she thought, and she could only imagine the blood that was shed when they were inflicted. She thanked the Twelve that she and the others had put an end to the tyranny when they did. Her hand moved along his chest and abdomen, feeling his-

A sound from Aymeric broke her train of thought. It was muffled, and he was clearly trying to hide what had come from his throat, but Vesper was almost certain. He had _giggled_.

“Is someone... _ticklish_ , Lord Commander?” A shite-eating grin came to her face as he covered his face in his hand, hiding a blush. However, it quickly faded as he turned to her with the same expression.

“Why, yes! If I remember correctly, _you are_ , my friend!” Before Vesper could leap away, Aymeric lunged out and grabbed her, using the blanket she had given as a way to trap her in his sudden embrace.

“Aymeric, if you tickle me, you _will_ be tickled back, an’ that’s a bloody threat!” She struggled a bit in his arms, but his grip, the blanket, and her growing sleepiness made it difficult to move. “I know your secret now, mate! Do you really want t’ contend with me knowing that I have your weakness memorized?”

“Mayhaps not tonight, especially since-” A yawn came from her before she could stop it. “-Especially since it seems both of us have expended our energy. Shall we retire for the night?”

“Aye, that sounds like a plan t’ me. Where would ya like t’ sleep? There’s a futon I keep in th’ loft, the couch here, and my bed is big enough for two, if ya’d like that.”

“If you would not mind, I would like to...share the bed with you. I would rather be close to someone in case the nightmares come back.” His hand rubbed the back of his neck in a flustered motion. Vesper couldn’t help but smile softly at his nervousness.

“That’s perfectly fine. Grab that blanket and I’ll grab another, and we’ll set up th’ rest when we get in there.” Aymeric nodded as he released Vesper from her blanket prison, standing up along with her as they began to get ready to sleep. “You can change in the bed-nook here, I’ll change in th’ bathin’ room.” He nodded as she moved aside the curtain to her ‘bedchamber’ and let him in to get settled. She quickly got changed into her sleeping singlet and shorts in the bathing room and made her way back, hoping he didn’t trip over any stray book that escaped from under her bed.

Thankfully, it seemed like he hadn’t. He was laying on his back on the side of the bed closest to the wall, gazing at the ceiling. His nightclothes consisted of a simple white shirt and white trousers, loose enough to allow plenty of freedom for movement but tight enough to show his muscles slightly. He tilted his head as she walked in, and she swore his eyes went wide and he blushed at what she was wearing. Well, two could play at that game, as she also looked at his outfit and blushed before getting a hold of herself and sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Alright, we have enough blankets. Let me grab some more pillows really quick.” Said pillows made a _thwump_ noise as they landed on the mattress between herself and Aymeric. “Anythin’ else we need? Some water, more blankets, some-”

“Vesper. You worry overmuch.” A soft gasp came out of Vesper as she felt his hand cover hers. “I do not need anything else, and if you are ready to sleep for the night, so am I.”

“Right! Right. Forgive me, mate, when I get to worryin’, it’s hard for me t’ stop.” She set about getting snuggled under the covers, finding his warmth near her comforting.

“I understand. Fear not, with you nearby I should be alright.” Vesper felt her face grow hot once more as Aymeric smiled softly at her. “Goodnight, Vesper. Sweet dreams, my friend.”

“And you as well, Aymeric. I’m here if ya need me.” Her eyes closed as she laid on her back, head tilted towards him. Her hand was still in his, and she was content to leave it like that for the night.

\---

Vesper awoke feeling slightly...squished.

Why did she feel as if she was lying under a weighted blanket that was much heavier than usual? She remembered Aymeric had stayed the night; had he covered her with more blankets? And if he had, what was his plan? Was he going to make sure she was warm enough to cook on? Tilting her head up, she saw that no, Aymeric had _not_ covered her in more blankets, so she didn’t have to wrack her brain for a possible reason why he had covered her so.

What she saw, however, was that _Aymeric himself_ had someone maneuvered on top of her during the night.

His head was cradled in the crook of her neck, his breath tickling her skin. Somehow, he’d wrapped one arm around her waist and the other was on top of her arm, his hand in hers. How had she not woken up during this?

...Not that she was complaining. He was warm, and his weight on top of her was comforting, in a way.

As she was debating on going back to sleep to enjoy this for a little longer, Aymeric showed signs of rousing, which made her decision for her.

“Aymeric? Are ya awake now, mate?” Her heart rate sped up as he snuggled into her neck and gave a half-hearted mumble of confirmation. How dare he make cute sounds. “So, promise me ya won’t panic, but you, uh, moved on top o’ me at some point durin’ the night.”

“I did...what?” Vesper’s heart beat even faster as Aymeric groggily propped himself up on his elbows, looking down at her face with a sleepy expression. He finally seemed to comprehend their position, and his face grew red from his cheeks to his ears.

“Oh! Oh, by the Fury, I’m sorry, Vesper, I have no idea how-”

“Easy, mate! I said don’t panic!” She said, her own panic rising. Compared to how she was expecting to wake up, this was a much more intimate position. “It doesn’t bother me, I was just surprised, is all. You can breathe easy, I promise!”

“You’re certain?” At her nodding, his shoulders lost the tension they once had. “Very well, I will not worry if you say so. But, with that being said…” He directed his eyes away from her blushing face to the window of the bed nook. “It seems as if we should begin to ready for the day.”

“Begin to ready-Aymeric, it’s six in th’ mornin’ at most. We went t’ sleep around three, mate; we’ve only had around three hours of sleep!”

“That is more than enou-”

“Like bloody hell it is!” It was Vesper’s turn to lift herself up, bringing her face closer to Aymeric’s. “Mate, have you seen me on less than eight hours o’ sleep? I can’t function like that, and I know for a _fact_ that Lucia has gotten on your tail for not sleepin’ enough.” It seemed like she brought up a bit of a sore spot, as Aymeric turned away from her face, blushing intensely. “Lay yourself back down. On top of me or beside me, I don’t care. But you need more sleep.”

“But Ishgard-”

“-Can do without you for one mornin’. I’m sure Lucia has things under control.”

“...Very well.” Vesper fell back to her pillow with a smug look on her face, satisfied with her victory. The smug look disappeared as Aymeric flopped back on top of her, the impact knocking the air from her lungs. “You said ‘on top of me or beside me,’ my friend. And after pouring my heart out last night, this is a much more comforting position.” She could almost picture the smug eating grin that he was wearing, hidden in her neck.

“...Indeed I did. Honestly, if it makes ya feel better, it’s no problem with me.” Her head shifted to face the wall as she closed her eyes, already feeling sleepy again. “Now let’s get proper sleep. G’night, Aymeric.”

“Good night, my friend. And thank you, for all you’ve done.” Vesper gave one last sound of affirmation before sleep took her again, and, once he wrapped her in a hug again, Aymeric was not far behind her.


End file.
